Does asking your friends to donate to your campaign annoy them, or does it actually make them more likely to give in the future?

In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking research paper "Fundraiser Magic: The Impact of Personalized Solicitation on Online Donation Campaigns". This study represents a unique collaboration between industry and academia, authored by Professor Shen and Professor  Barkhi of the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech, and Dr. Razvan, CEO of Click & Pledge.

Analyzing over a decade of data covering 5,471 campaigns and nearly $67 million in donations, the researchers set out to test the "Power of the Ask" in the digital age. They discovered that while most nonprofits fear "ask avoidance"—the idea that soliciting donations drives people away—the data tells a completely different story.

Key takeaways discussed in this episode:

• The 9% Gap: Why over 90% of campaigns are missing out on the most effective fundraising tool available.
• The Myth of Annoyance: How the study found no significant evidence of "ask avoidance" online, debunking the fear that peer-to-peer fundraising burns out donor bases.
• The Positive Reinforcement Effect: How using fundraisers in a preceding campaign actually increases engagement for subsequent campaigns.

Join us as we break down how the simple act of personalizing the "ask" can transform fundraising performance.